"That's the best present anyone's ever gotten,'' Broward Commissioner Lois Wexler said this morning as the outgoing mayor, Kristin Jacobs, reveled in the set of knives and the personalized chef's coat she was given by incoming Mayor Barbara Sharief.

The tradition of gift-giving from lobbyists to politicians may have ended with the ethics code, but this is one gift-giving tradition that remains. Whoever's entering the mayor's post gives a plaque with a gavel on it, and some gifts, to the mayor who is leaving the title behind.

The new mayor also chooses a seating chart for her colleagues.

Do not underestimate the importance of these things.

It's time to cue the historical video, above.

In one of our favorite videos of all time, Commissioner Stacy Ritter talks about the sack of thoughtful gifts she gave then-outgoing Mayor Lois Wexler.

A rift has been developing on the Broward County Commission since Stacy Ritter took over as mayor in mid-November. A pair of commissioners, Lois Wexler and John Rodstrom, think they have been the subject of a series of snubs. They suspect Ritter has targeted them in an effort to consolidate power.

The spat began at the Nov. 18 ceremony where Wexler stepped down from her one-year stint as mayor in favor of Ritter. The new mayor gave the former mayor a bag of gifts, but not the traditional plaque commemorating her time in the top job.

Ritter also attempted to re-assign each commissioner's seat on the dais - over the objections of Rodstrom and Wexler. Both then skipped a lunch celebrating Ritter becoming mayor .Ritter is flabbergasted over the kerfuffle and fears it makes the commission look childish. She said she had not realized a plaque was part of the commission's tradition, and she stressed it's always been the mayor's prerogative to decide where each commissioner sits.

"There are far too many important issues that we should be dealing with than who should be sitting where and what gifts are given to the outgoing mayor," Ritter said.

Ritter said she spent two days choosing gifts she thought Wexler would appreciate, including a Swarovski brooch and an enameled jewelry box. She gave Wexler a plaque - and an apology - at this week's commission meeting.

Ritter remains committed to assigning new seats to commissioners. In the arrangement she has sought, Wexler would not receive the seat ordinarily reserved for the former mayor on one side of the current mayor.

Rodstrom also would lose the seat he has long had to the mayor's right side.

"It's about control and about sending a message, and I got the message," Wexler said. She said she was disappointed by not receiving a plaque and shocked by the seating arrangement, comparing the moves to "kicking sand in my face."

In the past, commissioners have occasionally been passed over for their turn at leadership positions and committee assignments have been passed out as rewards and punishments.

Wexler and Rodstrom have often voted opposite of Ritter on major issues. While Ritter has supported a new south runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and the choice of Hilton Hotels to build a convention center hotel, Rodstrom and Wexler were against both.

Wexler said she is reconciled to accepting a different seat, but Rodstrom said he plans to make a final stand Tuesday when Ritter asks the nine-member board to sign off on what she wants to do.

Rodstrom said commissioners should not be relocated unless they agree. He noted that he worked to defeat former Commissioner Sylvia Poitier after the two clashed a decade ago.

"To me, it's a sign of disrespect," Rodstrom said. "Every now and then, you need to find out where you stand and who your friends are and I guess this is one of those times."